When outreach workers began asking homeless people if they could put a roof over their head, the answer was typically: “Yeah, right.”

Three years later, the staff at the Streets to Home program (S2H) are getting a much better reception on Toronto streets — and at city hall.

The $8.7 million program is poised for a huge funding boost — $2.5 million more this year, $4.9 million next — opening the door to expanded services to help find jobs and more permanent housing to those who live in shelters or other housing but spend their days panhandling, especially downtown.

The executive committee’s call is a ringing endorsement for the program launched by city council in 2005 with the aim of ending street homelessness.